Embed the Metropolis player on your website

WARNING: this item contains graphic images of grave mistreatment of animals! Our Congolese correspondent Petna made this heartbreaking report on the way some of the youth in his hometown Goma deal with stray dogs. They consider the dogs to be bewitched and that's why they stone them to death in a very painful way.

Holland used to have this image of a free country. It used to be a symbol of freedom. Now I’m surprised when I am walking in the streets there I have to look over my shoulders to see if nothing is wrong. I think we are losing our community values. If we could retrieve the same Holland I knew, that would be nice.

What national politician do you want to interview, and why?

The minister of education. I would like to know what his priority is.

If you would be able to export a characteristic of your country, what would it be?

Our hospitality and generosity.

If you would be able to ban a characteristic of your people, what would it be?

What’s it like to be a Metropolis correspondent? From Sana’a to New York and from Beijing to Ouagadougou: in this series of portraits our correspondents tell about the city they live in, they show us around in their home and their workplace. Today, meet Petna in Kinshasa, Congo.His favorite report is the one on obesity in his country.

In the week of World Animal Day, Metropolis looks at the life of dogs all around the world. This episode has been the object of much debate in the Metropolis editorial team: what can we show, and what can’t we show? Read more...

A dog's life

April 9, 2008

In the week of World Animal Day, Metropolis looks at the life of dogs all around the world. This episode has been the object of much debate in the Metropolis editorial team: what can we show, and what can’t we show? We received many documentaries that were terrible to watch, but they did show the reality of other cultures. In the episode that was televised we have deleted the most gruesome images. But a warning is justified: some of the contributions to this show contain shocking images and are inappropriate for young viewers.

In this special Metropolis show, the correspondents show us the life of dogs all around the world. In Indonesia we see Jamal out in the streets at night with dogcatchers from Jakarta. Every night they roam the streets looking for dogs they can use as an ingredient for their meals. And in Goma, Congo, we see the faith of a dog that is bewitched, according to the population.

The life of a dog is much better in Berlin, where correspondent Robin follows two spoiled poodles, or in Bolivia, where our correspondent found a breed that possesses healing powers according to the people of La Paz. And if you really don’t know what to do with your dog, you can take it to New York, where psychiatrist Christine Agro helps rich dogs to overcome their identity crisis.